Ray Gooding (born 16 February 1959) is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder. He made 59 appearances in the Football League for Coventry City, Bristol City and Plymouth Argyle.

Ray Gooding
Personal information
Date of birth (1959-02-16) 16 February 1959 (age 65)
Place of birth Hartlepool, County Durham, England
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
Coventry City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1976–1982 Coventry City 49 (5)
1982Bristol City (loan) 3 (0)
1982–1983 Plymouth Argyle 7 (1)
Bedworth United
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career edit

Gooding began his career with Coventry City, having been signed by Gordon Milne in 1976.[1][2] He scored five goals in 49 league appearances over the next six years and spent a month on loan with Bristol City during the 1981–82 season.[1] Gooding joined Plymouth Argyle in 1982 and scored once in nine league and cup games before suffering a cruciate ligament injury.[2][3] Having been forced to give up professional football, he played briefly for Bedworth United in non-league football before ending his career.[2]

Coaching career edit

Gooding returned to Coventry in 1988 when John Sillett appointed him to work with John Peacock as a football development officer in the community at the club's centre of excellence.[4] He went on to be responsible for young player recruitment and first met Richard Money when he was appointed academy director during Gordon Strachan's tenure as manager.[4] Under their stewardship, Coventry's youth team reached two FA Youth Cup finals.[2][4] Gooding took redundancy in the summer of 2008 and became a member of Money's academy staff at Newcastle United.[2][4] He later worked for Birmingham City as a recruitment officer and scout for their academy.[5][6]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Ray Gooding". Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Ray Gooding". Greens on Screen. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
  3. ^ Knight, Brian (1989). Plymouth Argyle: A Complete Record 1903–1989. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 132. ISBN 0-907969-40-2.
  4. ^ a b c d Turner, Andy (8 September 2008). "Ray Gooding leaves Coventry City for Newcastle". Coventry Telegraph. Archived from the original on 10 February 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
  5. ^ "Contacts". Birmingham City F.C. Academy. Archived from the original on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
  6. ^ "Chelsea, Arsenal and Man City battle for whizz kid: will he move?". Talksport. 26 March 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2013.